Multi OS question

[mc86]

Hi guys! I'm considering doing a new build next year (either AMD Threadripper 3 or Intel Cascade Lake X), primarily for Blender. I want to use Linux as my main OS, since Blender performs better on it, but I also plan on running Windows via virtual machine, for any software that doesn't run on Linux, as well as games. What I want to do is run my OS from an SSD, and have a large HDD for work, movies, games, etc. If I run Windows on a virtual machine, can I access the HDD from within Windows (for example, storing my Windows-only games on it), or would I need a separate drive?

 

[Windows7ge]

You can pass-though the HDD to the VM for storage but if you're asking if you can have the host OS share the HDD with the VM locally the answer is no you cannot.

 

You could install samba on the Linux host and have it share that drive over the network to the Windows client. You'd just have to create a network bridge so the VM stays on the same local network.

[Slottr]

Why don't you just dual boot?

[Windows7ge]

6 minutes ago, Slottr said:

Why don't you just dual boot?

Because this:

No compromises. Run both simultaneously.

 

Better example:

8 cores/16 threads

32GB of RAM

It's own R9 290X

It's own 10Gbit NIC.

[Slottr]

6 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

 

Okay that's understandable hahaha, nice work

[Windows7ge]

7 minutes ago, Slottr said:

Okay that's understandable hahaha, nice work

Getting it setup and working it a lot more tedious than dual boot though...

Hope you like the terminal and editing a few 100 lines of config files.

Also editing some kernel files...

You can brick your computer while setting this up so that's always fun to know.

[mc86]

Good to know. Dual booting it is then.

Alright, I have another question: If I have Windows and Linux installed on separate drives, is it possible to boot into one and access the other via VM?

[Windows7ge]

22 minutes ago, mc86 said:

Good to know. Dual booting it is then.

Alright, I have another question: If I have Windows and Linux installed on separate drives, is it possible to boot into one and access the other via VM?

I don't think so no. Linux VM hosts like QEMU use their own file extension for the virtual HDD I don't believe it'll recognize the Windows file system and boot it directly.

 

There are guides online for setting up QEMU & virt-manager. If you are interested in running Windows on-top of Linux at the same time I would at least attempt it. There's some tricks to getting it working on TR so weather you go AMD or Intel it should work.

[CactusMan]

1 hour ago, mc86 said:

Good to know. Dual booting it is then.

Alright, I have another question: If I have Windows and Linux installed on separate drives, is it possible to boot into one and access the other via VM?

Create a vmdk that points to the physical drive and use a vm that supports that format.

[Barnack]

On 10/22/2019 at 5:38 PM, Windows7ge said:

Because this:

No compromises. Run both simultaneously.

 

Better example:

8 cores/16 threads

32GB of RAM

It's own R9 290X

It's own 10Gbit NIC.

Use Windows 10 with Windows Subsystem for Linux and you'll run both in the same environment

[Windows7ge]

17 minutes ago, Barnack said:

Use Windows 10 with Windows Subsystem for Linux and you'll run both in the same environment

Been a while since I've touched WSL but if it hasn't changed significantly then I'm pretty sure this won't do what OP wants since WSL is CLI only. Also it's still running on-top of windows so his desire to use Blender (even if it can run in a CLI environment) will still be affected by the Windows host.

 

Besides I just posted a tutorial today for setting up a Ubuntu/Windows desktop. No compromises.:

It still doesn't address having a drive available on the host and being able to access those files directly within the VM though. Personally I'd just access them over the network or split the drive 1/2 to the Windows VM then 1/2 to the host so they can both use the drive. Just can't access each others files.

 

The HDD could be passed through to the VM but I can't say if the host would still have any way of read/writing files to it while the Guest has it.

 

My own means of exchanging files between a Linux host and a Windows VM is to just use a network file server and bridge the network adapter so Windows has a connection to the local network.